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Kenya: Lobbyists Vow to Block Tana River Sugar Project
An ambitious project by Mumias Sugar Company in the Tana River region appears to be in jeopardy in yet another case of conflict between developers and environmentalists.
Lobbyists and pastoralists vowed yesterday to block the venture, bringing to three cases this year where proposed industrial ventures have been placed in doubt by opposition from communities.
While the trend could point to rising levels of environmental awareness in the country, analysts said it could signal a new breed of activism motivated by selfish interests.
Spell doom
The groups said the decision by the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) to allow the Sh24 billion Tana Delta Integrated Sugar Project (TISP) to proceed would spell doom for the region and its inhabitants.
The proposed joint venture with the Tana and Athi River Development Authority (Tarda) aims at putting some 20,000 hectares of Tana River Delta into sugarcane production, generating Sh1.2 billion annually in revenues.
However, an independent assessment of the economic value of the Tarda wetland conducted by lecturers from Kenyatta and Nairobi universities during a previous study puts the total wealth earned by communities living in the area at Sh3.7 billion annually.
The group now wants the Government to designate as a national conservation site the area which they claim harbours over 350 bird species, wildlife and plants.
"This is not about the pastoralists and investment community. It is a serious issue because Tana River delta is one of the five protected wetlands in Africa," noted Mr Peter Kinya, an environmental studies lecturer at Kenyatta University.
The group comprises Nature Kenya, the Kenya Wetlands Forum, East African Wildlife Society, local politicians and representatives from pastoralist communities in the region.
Development projects in the Tana River Delta have fallen prey to similar concerns in the past starting with a cotton project mooted soon after independence in 1963.
Moreover, the collapse of the Hola Irrigation scheme, the World Bank funded Bura Irrigation Scheme and the Sh800 million Tarda Rice plant are among other big sum initiative that have been met with resistance in the region.
Only the 1.5 million hectare Galana Ranch which was established to transform livestock farming in the area is operational but handling only a herd of 1,000 livestock .
"Basically, we are saying no to sugar but we welcome any development that will add value to the fish, livestock and the wildlife that we already have without interfering with our ecosystem," said Mr Hadley Becha, deputy director of the East African Wildlife Society.
Nema, however, maintains insists that the project's sponsors are free to roll out, having fulfilled all required environmental conditions.
"In light of the provisions of the Environmental and Coordination Act (1999), the authority has approved the proposed project," Nema director general, Muusya Mwinzi, said in an earlier interview.
Mumias Sugar CEO Evans Kidero said preparations for the venture were in top gear with detailed project designs for the irrigation system and milling factory being drafted for presentation to prospective financiers.
The belated emergence of the lobbyists, however, means the sponsors have their work cut out in winning over the hearts of the local community without whom the success of the project would be doubtful going by recent experience.
Community frowns have frustrated Tiomin Resources Kenya from starting Titanium Mining in Kwale. At issue there have been concerns over compensation to land owners as well as environmental degradation from mining activity.
Under threat
A battery recycling plant in Nakuru set to be started by a Chinese firm Xianghui is also under threat from neighbours, who fear lead poisoning may be a possible outcome of the industrial processes.
At Kitengela in Nairobi, a cement firm proposed by Catic of China is yet to get a clear direction after residents opposed it on the grounds that it would cause dust and noise pollution in the residential area.
A shrimp farming project proposed in the Tana Delta in the early 1990s also failed to take off after resolute opposition from the community backed by environmentalists.
Recently, an outfit called Raisa which had initially approached Tarda to set up a Sh24 billion sugar milling plant in the area opted out following a barrage of criticism from the local community and lobby groups.
Mat International- which is proposing a similar venture on 80,000 hectares close to the Mumia's project site, has been holding public meetings to explain the viability of the project to the largely skeptical residents of the region.